Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
are becoming more and more of a concern as traditional sources of
anti-microbial treatments become less effective. Therefore, BGU researchers are looking farther afield for promising
compounds to treat wounds and infections.
Prof. Shoshana (Mails) Arad and Prof. Ariel Kushmaro, Prof. Levi A. Gheber and
PhD. student Nofar Yehuda joined a metal and a polysaccharide together and
discovered the new compound worked well against bacteria and fungus (Candida albicans) because of
the longer and denser spikes on its surface that poked holes in the membrane
and killed off the bacteria and the fungus.
"A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate with linked sugar molecules and by
adding a metal (Cu), we were able to create an effective new material,"
according to the researchers.
The findings were published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Marine
Drugs as the new compound is derived from marine red microalga Porphyridium sp.
Commercialization of these new compounds could come sooner rather than later.
"In light of the increased resistance to antibiotic and antifungal agents,
there is a growing need for the development of new and improved treatments. BGN
Technologies holds a patent application ready for licensing in the field,"
say BGN's Galit Mazooz-Perlmuter and Anat Shperberg Avni. BGN Technologies is
BGU's technology transfer company.
The research was conducted by Prof. Shoshana (Mails) Arad, Prof. Kushmaro and
PhD. student Nofar Yehuda, as well as Prof. Levi A. Gheber. Prof. Shoshana
(Mails) Arad is from the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of
Biotechnology Engineering, Prof. Kushmaro is a member of the
Goldman-Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change and the Avram
and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering. Prof.
Gheber is a member of the same department as well as The Ilse Katz Institute
for Nanoscale Science and Technology.
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Above: The Cu–Polysaccharide Complex, Photo Credit: Prof. Ariel Kushmaro
Media Coverage:
JPost
The Times of Israel
